There has been a great deal of discussion in the press over the past several years relating to MOOCs, Massive Open Online Courses. Through the use of the Internet, education can be freely distributed to anyone who has Internet access. It is now generally recognized that mastery of almost any field taught in colleges and universities can be achieved by a motivated student without actually attending lectures at that college or university. Thus, the technology is in place for a student to obtain the knowledge that has previously only been available to a campus-resident, matriculated student at a college, university or other institution at virtually no cost.
In contrast, the cost of a traditional Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) education, for example, resulting in a bachelor's degree can exceed one hundred thousand dollars. The only impediment which exists from preventing a university such as MIT from granting a degree to an online taught student is that the university needs to know with absolute certainty that the student did not cheat when taking the various exams required to demonstrate mastery of the coursework. With a degree from MIT, for example, industry will hire such a person at a starting salary approaching or exceeding $100,000 per year. Thus, the value to the student is enormous. Since the information which must be mastered is now available for free on the Internet, the main impediment separating a motivated student from a high starting salary is that a degree-granting university must be certain that the student has demonstrated his mastery of the material through successful completion of examinations without the assistance of a helper or consultant while taking the examinations.
Even when tests are administered in a classroom, it is well known that extensive cheating can occur. In China, for example, where admission to college is solely determined by the score that a student receives on a one time test, the motivation to cheat is enormous.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,316 (Kershaw et al.) describes a system and method for computer-based testing. The system comprises a test development system for producing a computerized test, a test delivery system for delivering the computerized test to an examinee, and a workstation on which the computerized test is delivered to the examinee. The method comprises producing a computerized test, delivering the computerized test to an examinee and recording examinee responses to questions presented to the examinee during the delivery of the computerized test. A method of delivering a computerized test is also provided in which a standardized test is created, an electronic form of the test is then prepared, the items of the test are presented to an examinee on a workstation display and the examinee's responses are accepted and recorded. A method of administering a computerized test is further provided in which a computerized test is installed on a workstation and then the delivery of the test to an examinee is initiated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,973 (Hoehn-Saric et al.) describes a system for controlling administration of remotely proctored, secure examinations at a remote test station, and a method for administering examinations. The system includes a central station, a registration station and a remote testing station. The central station includes (a) storage device for storing data, including test question data and verified biometric data, and (b) a data processor, operably connected to the storage device, for comparing test-taker biometric data with stored, verified biometric data. The remote test station includes (a) a data processor, (b) a data storage device, operably connected to the data processor, for storing input data, (c) a biometric measurement device for inputting test-taker biometric data to the processor, (d) a display for displaying test question data, (e) an input for inputting test response data to the processor, (f) a recorder for recording proctoring data of a testing event, and (g) a communication link for communicating with the central station, for receiving test question data from the central station, and for communicating test-taker biometric data, test response data, and proctoring data to the central station. Verification of the test-taker and validation of the results can be performed either before or after the testing event.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,747 (Walker et al.) describes methods and apparatus for computer-based evaluation of a test-taker's performance with respect to selected comparative norms. The system includes a home testing computer for transmitting the test-taker's test results to a central computer which derives a performance assessment of the test-taker. The performance assessment can be standardized or customized, as well as relative or absolute. Further, the transmitted test results are configured to reliably associate the student with his test results, using encoding, user identification, or corroborative techniques to deter fraud. Thus, for example, the system allows a parentally-controlled reward system such that children who reach specified objectives can claim an award that parents are confident was fairly and honestly earned without the parent being required to proctor the testing. Fraud, and the need for proctoring, is also deterred during multiple students testing via an option for simultaneous testing of geographically dispersed test-takers.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,069,586 (Winneg et al.) describes a method of and system for securely executing an application on a computer system such that a user of the computer system cannot access or view unauthorized content available on the computer system or accessible using the computer system. To securely execute the application, such method and system may terminate any unauthorized processes executing (i.e., running) on the computer system application prior to execution of the application, and may configure the application such that unauthorized content cannot be accessed, including configuring the application such that unauthorized processes cannot be initiated (i.e., launched) by the application. Further, such system and method may terminate any unauthorized processes detected during execution of the application, and may disable any functions of the computer system that are capable of accessing unauthorized content, including disabling any functions capable of initiating processes on the computer system. The application being securely executed may be any of a variety of types of applications, for example, an application for receiving answers to questions of an examination (i.e., an exam-taking application). Securely executing an application may be used for any of a variety of purposes, including, among other purposes, to assist preventing students from cheating on exams, to assist preventing students from not paying attention in class, to assist preventing employees from wasting time at work, and to assist preventing children from viewing content that their parents deem inappropriate.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,257,557 (Hulick) describes a method, program and system for administering tests in a distributed data processing network in which predetermined test content and multimedia support material are combined into a single encrypted test file. The multimedia support may include visual and audio files for presenting test questions. The encrypted test file is exported to at least one remote test location. The test locations import and decrypt the encrypted test file and load the test content and multimedia support material into a local database. The test is administered on a plurality of client workstations at the testing location, wherein the test may include audio questions and verbal responses by participants. During the course of testing, biometric data about test participants is recorded and associated with the test files and participant identification. After the test is completed, the completed test results, including verbal responses and biometric data, are combined into a single encrypted results file that is exported to a remote evaluation location. The evaluation location imports and decrypts the encrypted results file and loads the test results into a local database for grading.
U.S. Pat. Appln. Publ. No. 2007/0117083 (Winneg et al.) describes systems, methods and apparatuses for remotely monitoring examinations. Examinations are authored and rules are attributed to the exams that determine how the exams are to be administered. Exam proctors monitor exam takers from remote locations by receiving data indicative of the environment in which the exam takers are completing the exams. A remote exam monitoring device captures video, audio and/or authentication data and transmits the data to a remote proctor and data analysis system.
As generally used herein, a “test” is any type of question-based application that requires analysis by a person taking the test and a response from this person. A test may therefore be considered an examination, a quiz, an assessment, an evaluation, a trial and/or an analysis.